by Bethany Aan
“I’ll be okay with that,” she sighed, resigned. “I wanted to stay awake, but… this really hurts!”
“As tight as those muscles are, I would imagine it does,” Jace sympathized.
“Let me see if I can loosen them up first,” Hunter said quietly. Jace nodded and moved away to check on his other patients before ordering meds for them all.
“Any excuse to touch me again, huh?” Ri grinned up at Hunter, her eyes warm. He raised his eyebrows in surprise at her outright flirting, then laughed, his eyes sparkling.
“Little warrior, I need no excuse to touch you. If I wish to do so, I will.”
“Oh, will you?” she asked, arching her brow at his certainty. He nodded smugly.
“Aye,” he said, his grin turning wicked. “And you will enjoy it.”
“What happened to all the respectful deference of yesterday?” she asked, sighing in mock disappointment. He sat on the bed with her, carefully picked her up and set her between his legs, her back to him.
“It faded a bit more with every mental image you sent me, of your body in my hands, your reaction to my every caress.” His hands slid down her arms, his touch electric, hot, searing. She shivered as he slid them back up her arms to rest on her shoulders.
“Oh,” she breathed. Troubled that he might have gotten the wrong impression, she started to say something else, but Hunter leaned forward just a bit, his lips at her ear, his big, strong hands already moving in ever-expanding circles on her shoulders.
“Rest assured, little one,” he breathed, “That I will never do anything you do not wish for me to do. If you do not want me to flirt with you, then just say so. I will stop, and I will treat you with the same distance that I treat your women.”
Ri’s heart clenched at the thought of him distancing himself from her. Hunter felt it and his hands tightened on her shoulders.
“You see,” he whispered, his lips grazing her ear. “You do not wish that, any more than I.”
“No,” she admitted, closing her eyes against the desire that was building in her. It was sluggish because of how much pain she was currently in, but it was still there. “No, I don’t want that. But I… I don’t know what I want right now.”
“Then make no decision now,” Hunter told her, sitting back. “You will be going nowhere for quite awhile. We will have time to figure out this thing between us. And as for respect, you have mine, and have had it from the start. Why would sex change that?”
“It just does, sometimes, on our world.”
“Your world sounds like a ridiculous place,” Hunter snorted. “For now, relax. You are hardly in any condition to be seduced, and I do my best work when I am not distracted by debilitating injury.”
Ri laughed in spite of the turmoil inside her, then moaned as his thumbs dug into the first muscle and began loosening the knot there. Having a masseuse that could feel her every sensation was an incredible experience. Hunter knew the moment a muscle loosened, knew exactly how much pressure to use, when to expand out from a knot to soothe the muscle around it. He knew when to move on to the next muscle group, and even knew when the other side of her back started to itch. He took care of that while he was there. The only problem was that her gown kept shifting and bunching under his hands.
“This tunic is in the way,” he growled finally. Without another word, he unfastened the closure in the back, spread the sides open, and went back to massaging, this time skin on skin.
The shock was instantaneous and incredible for them both. Arianna cried out softly, shivering. Hunter’s hands stilled for a moment as he breathed deeply and adjusted to the sensations. He splayed a palm over her back, the flesh hot and tingling beneath his touch. Ri gasped shallowly, enjoying the waves of feeling rushing through her. Slowly, as if he wasn’t sure of what he was doing, she felt Hunter’s hand press a bit harder. Instead of massaging, though, she felt him gathering his energy, then slowly allowing it to move into her in languid pulses of heat and vibration. Ri held very still, her eyes wide, letting the strange but wonderful sensation work through the muscle that was so very tight, just under the shoulder-blade.
“Join with me,” Hunter whispered intently, his free arm coming around her shoulders, clasping her across the front, holding her to his chest. Ri closed her eyes, opened herself, and allowed her energy to join with his. She let his mind guide their combined power, straight into his hand and into her back. With a hot pulse that sent an erotic echo straight to her core, the muscle pulsed, then relaxed, bringing instant relief. Ri sagged back against Hunter’s chest, panting. His arms came around her, carefully, to hold her to him for a long moment. Overcome by the multitude of sensations, Hunter shuddered and buried his face in her neck, breathing deeply of her scent.
Jace found them like that, Hunter’s eyes wide with surprise, Ri breathing heavily, her entire body relaxed against his brother, her head back and resting on Hunter’s shoulder.
“Do I want to know what has been going on?” Jace asked in a low rumble, realizing he was jealous. “It looks like you two have… well, if I didn’t know that our little commander was in no condition to engage in sexual play…”
“I was massaging her back,” Hunter grinned at his brother. “But apparently, when the right two Readers are involved, the experience can be… different.”
“Different how?” Jace asked, truly curious. Being the only non-Reader in his family had made him incredibly curious about the phenomenon, leading to his being the undisputed expert on Reading in the medical field. Any time there was an aberration from normal Reader behavior or ability, he was vastly interested. He pushed to the back of his mind the fact that he was quite jealous of his brother for putting that look of relief and satisfaction on Arianna’s face.
“I’m able to tell exactly where she hurts, and she has practice healing herself,” Hunter said, analyzing the situation. “So between us, we’re able to guide our combined energies straight to the muscle that’s spasmed. We were able to release it with little effort.”
“Then why are you both breathing as though you’ve just run from a slider?” Jace asked, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead.
“Because the experience was a bit intimate and almost… erotic,” Hunter admitted softly, not wanting to embarrass Ri by shouting it to the rest of the med center.
“Really?” Jace asked, intrigued and grinning. Arianna shot him a frustrated glare as her face flushed to scarlet. “Yes, I guess it was. So, do you think you could use that combined energy and help heal her ribs and leg?”
“We could try,” Hunter said, shrugging, then frowned. “But not right now. She’s too weak.”
“I’m fine,” Ri protested, turning to look at him. He shook his head, grinning and hugging her one last time before releasing her and sliding off the bed.
“Your energies are very low, and there is no rush. Jace can keep the pain at bay for a little while longer, while we both recharge. We can try again this afternoon.”
Ri sighed, but nodded and allowed the men to tuck her back into bed. At least her arm and back didn’t hurt anymore. As Hunter left to take care of his morning duties and check on the teams setting up the dormitory, Ri stared up at the ceiling.
Her shoulder might be better, but there was a definite ache elsewhere now. She was pretty sure that, had she let Hunter sense that, he would have stayed to take care of it. Smiling to herself as the meds took effect and she went back to sleep, Ri thought of the two handsome men who seemed to spend more time flirting with her than anything else.
She decided she was okay with that.
That afternoon, the dormitory went up so quickly that Arianna’s head spun. She watched the construction from the med center’s window overlooking the courtyard. It took mere hours for the many warriors, working smoothly and efficiently, to build the walls then raise the building and completely stock it with bunks, linens, and even a small bathroom. Showers or actual baths would have to be taken elsewhere for now, but at least the girls could relieve
themselves without having to ask a guy to show them where.
Problems arose quickly, though, when Amy’s bevy of girls refused to enter the building, convinced that it was a prison or some sort of trick. When they would not accept Beverly’s assurances, Hunter was forced to bring Arianna down to the dorm for a chat with the women.
Even that hadn’t worked at first. The young women were still wary of entering the building, sure that they would become prisoners or sex slaves or some such. Ri was tired and still in a great deal of pain, but with Hunter and Jace by her side, providing emotional and bureaucratic support, she was finally able to convince the girls that everything was fine. It took a lot of doing, and in the end, she resigned herself to stay there with them, to show that it was perfectly safe. For some reason, the girls decided that if she was there, then it must be okay. Ri had no idea where they got that idea, but she went along with it just to get some peace and quiet.
Hunter reluctantly agreed to move all of the women from the med center to the dormitory, but only because Jace convinced him that it would be more efficient to bring a mobile medical station to the dorm than to try to control matters from the med center, through the com system. He also quietly pointed out that every time they had to take Ri from the med center, they ran the risk of re-injury and possibly setting back her healing process.
No longer tethered to IVs, Ri was now tucked into a bed near the back of the dormitory, where the comings and goings of the young women would not bother her as much. After only a few hours, Arianna regretted her decision to stay here, though. Her head still hurt badly enough that the mental and emotional ‘noise’ she was experiencing from all the high-strung young women was becoming a real issue. She was still too weak to keep constant mental walls up against the battering emotions swirling through the air. What was worse, when Hunter came by to try a healing, she was still too depleted from shielding herself to make it work. Apparently, muscular issues were one thing, but actual structural damage was beyond them for now. Ri wondered if there was a way to train herself to be able to heal more than the most superficial of wounds?
Though she knew she had a concussion, Ri was fairly certain that most of her headaches were caused by the constant fear and angst of the high-strung young women with whom she was sequestered. And the incessant, inane chatter of some of them was driving her bonkers.
The women had been told their restrictions on leaving the compound, which only made them more suspicious of having to listen to these alien beings. Instead of embracing the idea of being able to explore the buildings and grounds, most of them had shut themselves away and were now too scared to venture out. Chelsea, Bev, and Kim had helped bring breakfast to everyone this morning, but the lack of communication between the Thorsani and the humans kept their interactions to a minimum for the moment.
The three of them were more than eager to explore and interact with their sexy new companions, but without their translators working, they chose to stay close to Arianna. Bev was taking her job as second-in-command very seriously and helping Ri when she could. Ri also noticed that Bev paid close attention anytime Ri was talking to one of the men, as though willing her neuro-trans to work more quickly. The young blond was ready to have an adventure in this new world, but she was pragmatic enough to get her bearings first. Ri had to admire that in a first lieutenant.
Arianna was frustrated at her inability to lead the others out of the dark dormitory and into their new world. Her head still hurt too badly to move very much and her leg was too fragile to let her do more than lie in her bed today. Otherwise, she would have had the girls help her out into the open air, where the men were training and working, and help them integrate. That would have to wait another day or two, though. Ri just wasn’t up to it today.
She had to keep reminding herself that while she had been through an awful lot with Hunter and Jace the day before, none of the others had. They didn’t know the workings of the Thorsani minds like she did, and couldn’t possibly have the confidence in them that Ri had. Arianna just had to keep that in mind when dealing with the girls, and try to hold onto her patience for what, to her, were silly fears. They weren’t silly to the girls, however.
Beverly had chosen the bunk closest to Arianna’s so she could help out, and because they had already formed a deep friendship. The younger woman now came to flop onto her own mattress, glaring down the wide walkway between bunks at Amy, whose attitude still left a lot to be desired.
Actually, Amy’s thoughts were dark and a bit alarming. She seemed to think she was in some strange reality show or movie, and that if she took Arianna down a peg, she would be able to take over the group’s leadership. She also had a strange attraction to Hunter, which bothered Arianna, though she knew it wasn’t logical to be jealous. It wasn’t so much that she wanted Hunter because he was an incredible man, handsome, or intelligent. She wanted him simply because she wanted power and for some reason, she thought he would be able to give it to her.
But power over what, Ri couldn’t figure out.
Hunter had shown nothing but disgust at Amy’s obvious interest, while he showed plenty of interest toward Ri, when he came by to check on her. Which was rather often, really. But was his interest mainly as leader to leader, or did those slow smiles and warm eyes mean something more? She nearly snorted at herself. Of course it was more than just being leaders. She knew that. But maybe it was just sexual attraction and meant nothing beyond that? Ri really wished she had the nerve to delve deeper into his mind and look. She knew that he wanted her. He wasn’t shy about that. But the insecure chubby girl inside her wouldn’t let her embrace the fact that he and Jace seemed to be competing for her affection. She wished she could shut that insecure part of her up into a tiny little box and lock it away forever.
“That little girl needs a reality check,” Bev murmured. Arianna nodded wearily, having heard enough of Amy’s complaints and scathing remarks about the aliens who were supposedly holding them captive. She spat complaints and disgust one moment, then fawned all over Hunter and Jace whenever they came through to consult with Ri and Bev about something. The girl ran hot and cold. Normally, Ri would have put it down to her youth, but being able to sense the young woman’’s inner turmoil and simmering rage gave her a different perspective. Amy made her uneasy in a way Ri hadn’t been in many years.
“Does she have the least little clue yet that her frat boys won’t be swooping in to save her?” Arianna asked, sighing at the latest delusion of Amy’s. Bev shook her head, snorting.
“I don’t think so. She seems to think she’s living in a TV show or something, and that ‘her guys’ will move hell and half of Georgia to find a space-ship and come looking for her. Idiot. She even talks to Alicia as though they’re being filmed or something. It’s pathetic.”
Arianna had to agree. Fortunately, Amy hadn’t tried anything else since last night. That could be because of the guards Hunter had posted, or because of all the other girls in the dorm. Hopefully things would calm down a bit, now that she saw that Ri wasn’t being treated any differently from the rest of them.
At least Bev seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, and Ri was grateful for the company of an intelligent, interesting companion. They liked the same movies, books, and television shows, so they were on fairly equal ground and had a similar sense of humor. They also shared a fondness for geeks and smart, handsome, strong warrior types with a sensitive side. Neither one of them had found reason to complain about their male counterparts on this world yet, and much to admire.
“So, Fearless Leader,” Bev said, crossing her legs to sit Indian-style on her bed and grin at Arianna. Ri rolled her eyes at the gently mocking title the others had given her. “What do you think is going to happen to us?”
Arianna thought Bev asked the question more for the benefit of the others than for herself, since she’d been at the meeting and knew as much as Ri did. She shrugged and shifted into a more comfortable position. At least she didn’t need to call one of
the medics in to help her sit up now. She still hurt, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been the day before. One of the other girls heard Bev’s question and moved to join them. Kim was her name, and she was a lovely young woman of Latino heritage. She was smart, witty, and very friendly. She also shared an interest in sci-fi/fantasy and anime. At least some of the girls had glommed onto Arianna’s seniority and the fact that the men had already acknowledged her as leader, and were willing to listen to her. She had to thank the stars for that little blessing. If the guys weren’t going to listen to her assertions that she wasn’t the leader, at least the girls could make it reality for awhile. And it was nice that some of them seemed genuinely interested in being friends with her. It had been awhile since she’d had close friends. Too long.
“According to what Hunter told me in the med center,” Arianna said, shaking herself mentally, “They are stranded here, too. They have a small hope that their people might find them someday, but they have been here for nearly a decade already.”
“They have that command center, don’t they?” Kim asked. “Why don’t they just use their high-tech computers to call their ships to come take them home?”
“It’s not quite that simple,” Bev said, sobering. “They’re here because their home world is no longer theirs. It was taken over by another race, the Solvari. So what was left of their people evacuated and scattered to the stars.”
“Hunter’s ship ended up here, and then was damaged, so they ended up building the compound. They’re planning on colonization, so that if their people ever manage to find them, they will have a place to settle,” Ri put in.
“But as for the technology… I don’t think they can use a homing beacon yet,” Bev finished up, “Because the one on their ship was broken. And I think they’re afraid that if they do use one, their enemies will find them more quickly than their people will, and they have no way to defend against an aerial attack right now.”
